Anaerobic Riding - HELP!

[Guest]

I have a big concern now that the &quot;Off season&quot;/&quot;Base Training&quot; time is here.<br /><br />Why is it that I can easily and comfortably ride above my Anaerobic Threshold? I mean - I don't feel like I'm doing anything unless I'm riding at or above my AT! (From race season experience) I can easily go from 100 bpm to 180 bpm in about 45 seconds. I've listed my stats below in the hope that this will help some of uou help me answer my questions:<br /><br />MaxHR: 208 bpm<br />LT : 180 bpm<br />[email protected]: 194 bpm (VO2 max = 56)<br />Resting HR: 50 bpm<br />Age/Sex: Female 26 years old. 63 inches and about 110-115 lbs.<br /><br />Is it possible that this is some kind of Thyroid issue or medical problem? I mean, I have gone to docs and all my lab work is clear and doesn't show any signs of lingering medical issues. I'm concerned. I can't figure how to buld my base when it is so easy for me to go over the &quot;Zones&quot;<br /><br />Thanks!<br /><br />RC

 

[Eldron]

RC,<br /><br />I wouldn't be concerned - most cyclists have a weird &quot;I'm going too slowly&quot; paranoia. Don't forget - off season is designed to keep your veins open, your heart in good nick and to repair all the damage done during the racing season.<br /><br />I also feel like I'm doing precious little when riding under my AT - that's why you grab a bunch of friends and ride easy tempo rides together. They're a social occasion and you don't end up feeling guilty because you're not training hard.<br /><br />Give you body a break - it deserves it!

 

[Vo2]

I agree with Eldron. Many cyclists neglect their base training phase and head for the hills or ride as hard as possible at every opportunity. It is also a grave misconception that you will not improve your fitness unless your legs are burning like hell, your heart is about to cavitate and explode, and your lungs are working their way up your throat.<br /><br />&quot;It is well known that aerobic zone training develops the ability of the muscles to utilize oxygen and provide energy during exercise. The experts agree that this type of training, also known as base training, also enhances the &quot;VO2 kinetics&quot; the rate athletes recruit the aerobic system at the start of the event. This enhancement is important, because an increase in the rate that the aerobic system kicks in at the start of exercise will save anaerobic capacity for the end of the event and thereby help maintain pace or intensity. Base training improves kinetics by increasing the density of energy-producing mitochondria within muscle. Base training also increases the density of capillaries, which deliver oxygen to the muscle and remove substances that cause fatigue. The experts also speculated that large volumes of aerobic training may develop the ability of muscle and nerve to maintain sodium and potassium homeostasis during exercise, another factor thought to be linked to fatigue.&quot;<br /><br />Gordon Sleivert, PhD, Director, Human Performance Center<br />Sportscience News Sep-Oct 1997

 

[CogLoose]

...I was pondering the same question with a training buddy the other day...<br /><br />S'pose that I've limited time to train - I mean, 3 hrs/day spent on this and other forums sure cuts into it... Will I achieve better results this season if I do the usual base build period, or can I get more in the limited time by always training at or above LT? Surely, a 2hr ride at LT will do more for my fitness than a 2hr 65% LT ride!.. <br /><br />That's what I declare. That's for racing. That's the instant-microwaveable-just-add-water thing to do, to spare me the embarrassment of next season. <br /><br />But the other reality is - I like riding my bike. I like the fall colors, and even the biting wind of winter on my cheecks and the black trees against the white of snow. So, on a weekend and an occasional wednesday, dressed in 27 items of heavy clothing this 27 year old will spend 5 hours spinning zigzags between state lines, gaping at the magnificent scenery while washing down crumpled fig bars with frigid plastic-tasting bike water... Ah, the poetry of it all...<br /><br />(Speaking of which, y'all go and read Tim Krabbe's &quot;The Rider&quot<br /><br />Anyhow, &quot;back to our sheep...&quot; Training is a process of building up, not wearing down. My teammate does 1-1.5 months of base with weights, followed by 1-2 months of power intervals, speedwork, and reduced weight-work. He's won 4 collegiate national championships this way, and I figure I'll follow his advise. And I can enjoy the scenery! <br /><br />Now, I gots to go surf the web some more....<br /><br />-mks<br /><br />

 

[2LAP]

Someone once told me that when you train hard it should apear 'too hard'. When you do easy training it should feel 'too easy'. This might help to explain your doubts (as Eldron points out).<br /><br />How did you work out your lactate threshold? If you were really riding above your lactate threshold, you should grind (relativly quickly) to a hault.<br /><br />Low intensity and high intensity have different effects on the physiology and the way in which a 'base' is formed. If you want the adaptations that VO2 described do low intensity stuff, if you want to increase your LT train at LT. You would need to mix low and high intensity, but do the low intensity first (the adaptations take longer to develope).<br /><br />

 

[ric_stern/RST]

Racer Chick,<br /><br />You've stated that your LT occurs at a HR of ~ 180 b/min, and also said that it's easy to ride above your anaerobic threshold. AT and LT are really two different points, with LT being a lower intensity effort (around endurance pace) and AT being closer (but possibly under) race effort.<br /><br />However, that being said, with a HRmax of 208 b/min, i would suggest HR endurance training zones of 158 - 163 b/min, and 163 - 168 b/min, these being level 1, and low level 2 training zones, based on Peter Keen's original HR training zones. 2Lap (i think) would (possibly) prescribe slightly different zones.<br /><br />Something that occured to me is, how long are you training for at base level; if you're doing a short ride (e.g., 45-mins) it'd possibly feel like a doddle, whereas, riding for e.g., 5+hrs at that level should be pretty damn fatiguing!<br /><br />Ric<br /><br />P.S. the lactate threshold thread maybe of some use...

 

[2LAP]

Ric, how do you define AT and LT then?

 

[ric_stern/RST]

2Lap,<br />it's not so much as how *i* define things, but as defined within the literature. LT is generally regarded as a work load that elicits a 1 mmol/L increase in lactate above exercise baseline (see Coyle et al., (1988) Determinants of endurance in well trained cyclists. J App Physi 64: 2622 - 2630). This would give a lactate of ~ 2mmol/L<br /><br /><br />AT is defined in several ways e.g., OBLA (4mmol/L), or some ventilatory break point, or IAT, etc.<br /><br />It's just that most people use the term 'LT' incorrectly (generally interchangeably with time trial type efforts) or bring in HR, etc.<br /><br />What i was hopefully trying to point out to RC is that if the lab RC was tested in (and it appears to be some sort of physiology lab as it seems that respiratory gasses have been collected) ascertained her *LT*, then she'd be able ride above that for considerable periods of time. I was concerned that RC was using LT and AT interchangeably incorrectly, but this is an easy mistake, that lots of people make. Even those that shouldn't!<br /><br />btw, what significance is attached to your nickname (2Lap) -- i'm just curious (nosey!), been wondering for a while!<br /><br />Ric

 

[CogLoose]

The definitions vary, but here's an interesting writeup by Dan Empfield: <br /><br />http://www.slowtwitch.com/mainheadings/coachcorn/slowcomponent.html <br /><br />Interestingly, RacerChick's stats seem almost smack in the mean of those <br />I've seen reported for elite female bike racers... down to a VO2 of 56 and <br />RHR of 50.... Hmm....<br /><br />Thanks for the J. Appl. Phys. reference!

 

[RacerChick]

Hey CogLoose,<br /><br />Just out of curiosity, where did you get information of the stats of elite female bike racers? That's pretty cool if my stats are *on track* with these type of women especially since I've only been cycling/racing for one season (2002)<br /><br />Thanks,<br /><br />RacerChick76

 

[IS1]

Hi RC,<br /><br />You don´t have any problem with your thyroid...The only thing that happens here is that the parameters given to you of both LT, AT-....are wrong. That is taking you to those thoughts. I am new in this group, I have posted a reply on Lactate threshold that you can read and hopefully will help you out something. <br /><br /><br />Good luck,<br /><br />IS1

 

[CogLoose]

here are some good readz for y'all: <br /><br />http://home.hia.no/%7Estephens/exphys.htm

 

[CogLoose]

http://www.pdqcleveland.org/guide3.pdf<br /><br />this is courtesy of someone from another forum.

 

[RacerChick]

Nice Table CogLoose! I am going to disseminate it to my teammates <br /><br />I was wondering if it is that my AEROBIC CONDITIONING is Poor while my ANAEROBIC CONDITIONING is Pretty Good...is this a possibility? (ya, I know, definition arguments). I am just wondering if I am just better conditioned for more &quot;Anaerobic&quot; (note the &quot efforts - ie. Crits, Sprints etc...I am just so confused!!!<br /><br />My initial issue was:<br />I have a big concern now that the &quot;Off season&quot;/&quot;Base Training&quot; time is here.<br /><br />Why is it that I can easily and comfortably ride above my Anaerobic Threshold? I mean - I don't feel like I'm doing anything unless I'm riding at or above my AT! (From race season experience) I can easily go from 100 bpm to 180 bpm in about 45 seconds. I've listed my stats below in the hope that this will help some of uou help me answer my questions:<br /><br />MaxHR: 208 bpm<br />LT : 180 bpm<br />[email protected]: 194 bpm (VO2 max = 56)<br />Resting HR: 50 bpm<br />Age/Sex: Female 26 years old. 63 inches and about 110-115 lbs.<br /><br />Is it possible that this is some kind of Thyroid issue or medical problem? I mean, I have gone to docs and all my lab work is clear and doesn't show any signs of lingering medical issues. I'm concerned. I can't figure how to buld my base when it is so easy for me to go over the &quot;Zones&quot;<br />